Push-button latch



ug- M, 1953 R. w. LANDON 2,648,561

PUSH-BUTTON LATCH Filed Jan. 18, l949'- irrawf/ g Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved catch for doors and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a latch means for doors which can be readily released bya simple push whereupon the door will immediately open.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a catch for doors, particularly of the cabinet type, and also such doors as open outwardly whereby the door will normally be retained in a closed position against the tension of a spring and whereby the latch which retains the door in closed position can be readily released by a simple push button operation.

Another and further important object of the invention is to provide a combination latch and push button release for doors which will also include in its structure a spring which will automatically open the door when the catch is released.

Another and still further object of the invention is to provide a door catch which can be instantly released by a simple push button operation and which can be applied to automobile doors as well as other doors thereby eliminating the necessity of an outside handle for automobile doors.

Other and further important objects will become apparent from study of the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a door with a shelf behind it, preierablya cabinet door or the like, showing one form of spring which is used to impel such a door into open position in accordance with one of the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a View of the other end of the door showing the push button of this invention in position therein and illustrating certain portions of the structure which are inside the door in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a top plan of the door and shelf shown in Figure 1 and illustrating the spring in more detail.

Figure 4 is a top View of the structure of Figure 2 showing the construction of the lpush button catch in more detail.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the push button latch of this invention showing a slight modification thereof Figure 6y is a vertical section similar to Figure 5 illustrating still another modication of the invention.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 'I-'I of Figure 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. v

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral ID indicates generall a door to which is applied the improved push button catch of this invention.

As illustrated this door is of the cabinet door type and is mounted on a hinge I2, a portion of the further end of the cabinet being indicated at I4. As is usual in cabinets, a shelf I6 is positoned behind the door and on one portion of the shelf, preferably adjacent the door hinge is mounted a coiled spring I8 which is compressed when the door is closed and normally operates to force it into open position. This spring maybe positioned in almost any location with respect to the door, the shelf or the hinge.

Mounted adjacent the swinging end of the door and in a suitable opening therein provided therefor is a push button catch of this invention which includes a push button 20 mounted in a housing 22 which is preferably tubular, the push button being cylindrical to correspond. v

Projecting from the rear face of the push button 20 and preferably integral therewith is an extension 24 which has a cammed face 26 as shown and which push button and extension are normally impelled into outward position by means of a helical spring 28 which surrounds the extension and acts against a pin 30 passing through a slot in the extension.

The pin 36 holds the spring 28 in position, it also properly positions the push button 20 and can be used as a fastening means for holding the entire catch in a door.

The pin itself is positioned in diametrically opposed openings in the tubular housing 22 and is so positioned that the spring 28 will be normally under compression even when the push button 20 is in its outermost position as shown in Figures 4 and 7.

The cammed rear face 26 of the push button extension 24 acts against a similarly cammed or inclined face 32 of a latch element 34 shaped as best shown in Figure 7.

The upper end of this latch element is cut away at an angle as shown at 36 and terminates in a point adapted to fit in an opening in a plate 38 whi-ch is fastened by means of a screw 40 to the under face of the shelf I6.

This upper end of the element 34 projects through a slot in the tubular casing 22 and the lower end of this element also projects through a smaller slot likewise formed in the tube 22 and 3 diametrically opposed from the larger slot at the top.

This extension identied by the reference numeral 42 has a cotter pin 44 itted into an opening therein so that the catch element will be retained in its slots.

A helical spring 46 is fitted onto an integral projection of the catch element 34 and acts against the inner face of the tube 22 thereby normally impelling the :catch into an outward or locking position.

An inward push on the button 20 against the tension of the spring 28 will cam the vcatch element downwardly against the tension of the spring 46 thereby releasing the point outlined by the angular cut 36 from the notch in the plate 38 and allowing the tension of the spring I8 to open the door. The tension of the spring I8 is such that the door will open against any inward pressure which might be exerted against the push button 20 by the nger of the operator.

In Figure 5 the construction of the catch is the same as that shown in Figures 4 and 7 but the tubular casing 52 is longer than the one shown at 22 extending further beneath the shelf I6.

A coiled spring 54 is Jfitted into the open end of the tube 52 and held in position by means of suitable attaching means 56. A plate 58 is fastened to the under face of the shelf I6 which plate has a downwardly projecting extension at its rear and as shown at 1tif). The spring l54 is of such dimensions and so designed that when the door I0 is in closed position, the spring will be under considerable compression. The release of the latch element 32 by pressure on the push button 20 will cause the spring to open the door.

A further modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figure 6 wherein the tubular casing 22 is the same as that shown in Figures 4 and 7 and the remainder of the latch construction is the same,

However, the plate beneath the shelf I6 is indicated by the reference numeral 68 and has a downward integral extension 10 having an opening in the extension. Fitted into this opening is the tube 12 having one end closed and positioned against this closed end and inside the tube is a spring 14. This spring acts against a spring 16, fitted into the plate l0 and operating in diametrically opposed slots 18 is a tubular housing 12. Here, as shown in Figure 5, pushing of the door I0 into closed position will act to compress the door opening spring and, upon release of the catch 34 by an inward push on the button 2D, the spring will act to open the door.

It will be seen that herein is provided a simple yet eiflcient catch for doors which by reason of its being susceptible of operation by means of a push button will eliminate the usual knobs, handles and the like which have heretofore been considered one of the necessary evils accompanying doors while, at the same time, providing an automatic operation so far as actual opening of the door itself is concerned.

Obviously, the construction is not necessarily confined to cabinet doors but may be employed in automobile doors, particularly those equipped with spring hinges, and in most any other kind of door where a streamlined and flush surface, free of protuberances, is desirable.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

A push button catch and release for doors comprising a housing adapted to be fitted into the door, a push button slidably mounted in the outer end of the housing, an integral extension on the push button, a spring surrounding said extension, means for positioning the spring on the extension behind the push button, said means including a pin passing through the extension and tted into the housing, a cammed face on the extension, a latch mounted in the housing, a cammed face on the latch in cooperative relationship with the cammed face of the extension, means for normally impelling the latch into door locking position, said means including a second spring, an integral extension on the latch for supporting said spring, means for retaining the latch in the housing, a third spring projecting from the rear end of the housing, a plate on a shelf behind the door having a notch therein to receive the latch, a downward extension of said plate against which said last named spring is adapted to operate, the said third spring being associated with the door through the downward extension of the said plate for opening the door when the latch is released.

ROBERT w. LANDON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 435,109 Woodcock Aug. 26, 1890 1,369,820 Krizs Mar. 1, 1921 1,571,453 Maxon Feb. 2, 1926 2,047,401 Whitted July 14, 1936 

